Alexi Knight
by daleylace
Summary: This is the story of an orphan girl, picked out by the Dark Lord to be his servant. As she grows she questions her master's motives, and discovered her powers.
1. Prologue

**A/N: **All recognizable characters, places, and things belong to J.K. Rowling.

I'm publishing this story so that I can see what other people think of it. I already have a few of the chapters written out, and have plans for what will happen to Alexi, my main character, later in life, but for now this is her beginning. Enjoy!

Prologue

Alexi Knight wasn't quite sure how this had all happened. Just that morning she had been an orphan with nothing to do with her life except to grow up so she could get out of her orphanage. But now… now she had power, and great allies, with the thought of a wonderful school to go to. And, she had a mission in life: to learn. Or so it was for now. Her new master had assured her that as soon as she finished school she would get to do much more important things.

At that moment, she was sitting quietly in a chair in a manor, eating dinner with the Malfoys, the family she would be living with. A wooden charm in the shape of an owl hung about her neck. Mr Malfoy had charmed it so that the Ministry of Magic couldn't detect her like they could other under-aged wizards, so she could learn magic away from school without their knowing.

How did she get there, you may ask? Well, Alexi was wondering the same thing. It all started on a cloudy afternoon in London, when a little orphan girl was visited by a famous old man with a silver beard.


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: **This is the first chapter of Alexi Knight's story, I'm going to try and make each at least a few pages long. In this chapter, you meet Alexi. The majority of her conversation with Dumbledore is taken from the 6th book, as well as Mrs Cole.

Chapter 1

She looked up from her book and peered out the window, something silvery catching her eye. It was a man wearing strange clothes- a velvet suit in a shade similar to maroon. It was his long beard and hair that had captured her attention. She watched with interest as he approached the orphanage's door and was greeted by Miss Jordan, one of the women that worked in the orphanage.

She went back to her book, wondering what on Earth that old man could be doing at the orphanage. As it turned out, she would soon know. She had barely finished the chapter of the book she was reading when there was a knock at the door. Was it that man?

She set her book down and opened the door, and sure enough, there he was. Mrs Cole, the matron, was walking away, having obviously just led him to her room.

"Can I come in?" he asked politely, his bright blue eyes twinkling behind half-moon spectacles. She nodded mutely and opened the door wider, stepping to the side.

Her room was rather small, her furniture consisting of the orphanage's standard bed, desk, chair, and wardrobe. Her school uniform hung in her wardrobe, and the book on her desk was borrowed from James, another orphan. The man sat in her chair, and she sat across from him on her bed.

"How do you do, Alexi?" he asked, holding out his hand for her to shake. She did. "I am Professor Dumbledore."

"Professor?" she asked warily. "Is that like a doctor? What are you here for? Did she get you in to take a look at me?" she was pointing at the door that the matron had just walked away from.

"No, no," he tried to assure her, smiling gently

"I don't believe you. She wants me looked at, doesn't she? Tell the truth!" she said the last three words with great power, as if it were a command she gave often. The man was still very calm, and looked as if he had had this exact conversation before.

"Who are you?" she asked after a few moments of silence, when it seemed that the man would give no further explanation without another question.

"I have told you. My name is Professor Dumbledore and I am the headmaster at a school called Hogwarts. I have come to offer you a place at my school- your new school, if you would like to come,"

Still looking like she thought that Dumbledore was going to take her away to an asylum, she eyed him carefully. "Well alright then, what kind of school is this?"

"It is a school of magic," he said simply.

There was silence. Alexi had frozen, her eyes locked onto Dumbledore's as if trying to see whether or not he was lying. "Magic?" she whispered

"That's right," he replied

"You're joking," she decided, standing and crossing to the door. She opened it, as if to say that this meeting was over and he could now leave.

Dumbledore took what looked to be a stick from his pocket and flicked it. The door sprung from her hands and closed itself. Dumbstruck, she sat back down.

"You're _not_ joking," she amended, memories flickering at the edge of her mind. Memories of her, doing seemingly impossible things. These memories were unwanted, so she pushed them away.

"You are a witch," he informed her.

It was another hour before he left, after answering all of the questions she could think of about Hogwarts. He also gave her a train ticket and a small bag of wizard money. He walked with her to the Leaky Cauldron, where Tom the Bartender took her out back. He opened up a passage way in a brick wall, and Dumbledore sent her off to get her school supplies, a list in hand.

She turned around to thank him, but he was gone, the brick wall closing back up even as she watched. She first went to get a trunk to put her things in, and then picked up her books. Quills, parchment, and a basic supply of potion ingredients went in after the books, and she ceased to be amazed by the wonderful things that filled the shops.

She got herself some robes, some for school and some plain black ones that she changed into there, so she could fit in with the witches and wizards bustling about her. Then she got a cauldron, a set of scales, and a collapsing telescope before entering a shop called Olivander's.

Olivander, the wizard that owned the shop, was very old. His grey eyes watched her carefully as she crossed to the front desk.

"I'd like to buy a wand," she informed him, hoping that she had enough money left to make her purchase. Dumbledore had told her that he'd loaned her enough money to buy all the basic school supplies she need, and a little extra to do with what she pleased.

"Of course," he said, his voice crackling. He moved among the skinny boxes stacked high on shelves, and returned a few minutes later with a box in hand. She took the wand and waved around as he said too, but he snatched it out of her hand almost immediately.

This went on for quite some time before she found her wand- or rather, it found her. It was made of blackthorn and with a core of basilisk fang. It was twelve inches long and unyielding, completely smooth. The handle was made of aspen, a much lighter wood that was carved with a swirling sort of pattern around the edges.

She left the shop seven galleons poorer, Olivander watching her as she left. She wandered about Diagon Alley for a bit before stumbling across a side street, marked 'Knockturn Alley'. Curious, Alexi walked into the darker alley and passed by sinister shops.

_Who goes there? _Came a voice, which no one else seemed to hear. The voice was strange and hissing. _The shop on the corner. Go there, let me see you_. The voice hissed at her. Wary of following instructions from a voice she heard in her head, she did so.

There was no shopkeeper, in fact, there didn't seem to be anything in the shop at all. There was only a bunch of dusty shelves and a counter, the one thing on it a bell. Slowly, Alexi walked forward, her hand hesitating on it for a moment before she rang it, and as she did so there was a tugging sensation.

Dust flew up around her, and the next moment she and the bell were gone, the only evidence that anything was there at all a clean circle in the dust.


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: In this chapter, Alexi meets her new family and is given her mission for now. The Malfoys and the Dark Lord are present in this chapter, and are taken from the books. It takes place at Malfoy Manor, which I have described the way I see it, and that may differ from the books or movies. **

Chapter 2

She opened her eyes slowly, her head pounding. She seemed to be in the front room of a large house, dark wood floors spreading out from under her, and a chandelier above her. Cream walls with wood paneling made from the same dark wood as the floor. A few doors and a staircase, all the same dark wood, the light brightening things up remarkably. There was a comfortable white rug under her.

A man with long, white blond hair was standing over her, looking at her curiously. She started lifting her head and sitting up, and he backed away to give her room. "Narcissa, there is a girl here, with the port key from the shop in Knockturn Alley!" he called, turning away from her momentarily to call his wife.

Alexi was just wondering what a port key was when a woman hurried into the room, her dark hair greatly contrasting that of her husband's. They talked quickly and quietly, and led her into a sitting room. She told them what happened, and they nodded gravely while she told her story.

She had figured out quickly that they were a magical family, this based on clothes (robes, like the witches and wizards in Knockturn Alley,) a floating tea tray, and the fact that they were completely unsurprised by her story.

Then the man did something completely unexpected. He wrote something down on a piece of parchment and flicked his wand, making an owl appear. He gave the parchment to the owl, which flew off. He sat down again as if this were as normal as talking to someone on the phone.

The answering letter was a bit of a shock to all of them. As it turned out, someone who seemed to be some sort of Lord was coming to see them, and he requested that they take Alexi in so that she could stay there until she came of age.

The Malfoys talked quietly amongst themselves. They seemed to want to follow the orders they were given, but were uneasy on taking in a girl they had hardly met. Mr Malfoy seemed perfectly willing, and his wife wanted to follow orders but was unsure of herself.

Then, there was another surprise- at least for Alexi. A boy walked in, pointy-faced, pale, and just as blond as his father. He looked to be about thirteen, a couple years older than Alexi. Almost immediately she knew his personality: arrogant, stubborn, and prone to questioning authority.

He took one look at her: a girl in robes covered in dust, standing and looking very out of place in his sitting room, before turning to his father. "What's she doing here?" he demanded. He seemed to be the kind of boy that could expect things to be given to him.

"The Dark Lord wishes us to watch over her for him." Mr Malfoy explained. Alexi wondered vaguely who would be adopting her, then.

"Why?"

"Do you question the Dark Lord's command, Draco?" asked a raspy voice from behind them.

They all turned to find a man in flowing black robes, his face pale and gaunt. He didn't seem to have a nose, and there was a cruel look on his face.

"No, master!" the boy said quickly.

They all gave a sort-of bow, bending at the shoulders instead of the waist. Alexi followed suit. This was the Dark Lord? What was he the Lord of? Then she felt a presence in her mind, like the feeling of someone watching her.

She jerked away from it instinctively, and the Dark Lord smiled. This all seemed to amuse him, appearing suddenly in the Malfoy's home like this.

"_You seem to be a smart girl. What do you think of these people?"_ it was the hissing voice again, but this time it came from the man.

Almost without trying, she answered back in a similar voice. _"They seem afraid, and arrogant," _she said, a quick observation to be sure.

The family had winced when the Lord spoke in that strange voice, and seemed absolutely shocked when Alexi did. It appeared as if they had spoken in an entirely different language!

_"Quite right you are. We are speaking Parseltongue, the language of snakes. _I am Lord Voldemort." He said the last part in English, answering her unspoken question of his identity.

He explained to her that he wanted her to work for him. He could provide her with a life she would not otherwise have, but for a price: she needed to go to Hogwarts to learn as much magic as possible, and to spy. When she graduated she would work for him as a Death Eater, one of his followers.

She agreed without much persuading on the part of Lord Voldemort. He commanded Mr Malfoy to make her invisible to the Ministry, whatever that meant, and was gone as soon as he had come. Before he left he had touched his wand to her left forearm. Nothing seemed to happen.

As soon as he left, Draco muttered about how unfair it was that she got to be a Death Eater before he did, and demanded to know where she would be staying. Mrs Malfoy took her upstairs while Mr Malfoy went to go follow his orders.

She was given what seemed to be one of the guest rooms, as it was all made up with bedding and curtains. The woman promised her that they would get her some new clothes tomorrow, and was left to get settled. She seemed more sure of keeping her now that the Dark Lord had visited them personally, and was now acting as if it were a great honor to be taking care of an orphan.


	4. Chapter 3

**A/N: **Here is when Alexi gets more accustomed to the wizarding world. My Bellatrix is going to be a bit less insane than JK Rowling's, but she will still be her evil self.

Chapter 3

A strange looking creature, like an elf, brought up her trunk. She pulled it to the end of her bed and opened it up. She hung her clothes in a large wardrobe, and lined up her books on a shelf. The rest of it stayed where it was- she wouldn't need a cauldron or scales until school started.

The creature returned to tell her that it was time for dinner, and she went down. She had cleaned herself up the best she could, dusting herself off and fixing her hair. She followed it down to the dining room, a large room with a grand wooden table in it. It seemed strange for the four of them to be eating at such a big table alone.

She sat down and was presented with a necklace, a carved wooden owl on the end of a black leather strip. The owl's eyes seemed to glow green, though they were just wooden. Mr Malfoy explained that while she was wearing it, the Ministry of Magic couldn't know if she was doing magic, and couldn't trace her like other under-aged wizards.

Then they began to eat. Draco complained loudly that he'd better not have to put up with her for long, and threatened that if she bothered him while they were at Hogwarts- his father cut him off. Then, Alexi remembered something.

"Won't the orphanage be wondering where I am?" she asked in a lull in the conversation.

Mrs Malfoy informed her that the Dark Lord would take care of it, she was sure. They went back to eating, Mr Malfoy watching her curiously, Mrs Malfoy making small talk, and Draco glaring at her. It was obvious that this would be a strange family to live with.

The next day, as promised, Mrs Malfoy woke her up so they could go get some things –clothes, books, whatever she wanted. Surprised at this show of generosity, Alexi eagerly got up and dressed- as she had so few clothes, she wore her robes again on top of jeans and a t-shirt.

When she was ready, she went downstairs. Draco was wearing robes, and his mother was wearing a black dress. Mr Malfoy was nowhere to be seen, and Alexi assumed he was at work.

They stepped into the fireplace one by one, throwing down green stuff called Floo Powder and shouting 'Diagon Alley!' They would then be transported to a fire place in the Leaky Cauldron.

Alexi was amazed at this, but the other two acted like it was perfectly normal. They walked into the crowded street of shops, and got Draco his school supplies. They also purchased more robes for Alexi, along with books so she could catch up on magical things.

They were walking back to the Leaky Cauldron when it happened: an eagle owl dove out of the sky to land on Alexi's shoulder. Its feathers were black with some lighter patches, and its bright yellow eyes were looking at her curiously. It held no letter, so she kept walking.

The presence in her mind was there again, so she found herself thinking to it, rather like talking to the voice without actually saying anything.

_My Lord?_ She thought slowly, a hiss at the edge of her thought's voice. How did she do that? Speak Parseltongue without trying.

_This is Nightwing, let him watch over you for me. _Came the answering voice.

_Yes, my Lord. _His presence withdrew from her mind, and she relaxed. The Malfoys were looking at her curiously, but they seemed to understand that this owl was to be hers.

They returned to Malfoy Manor and ate a lunch of sandwiches. When they were done eating, Mrs Malfoy went and did whatever it was she did during the day, and Draco followed Alexi up to her room.

She ignored him at first, deciding that since he had followed her, he could say why. She hung up her new clothes and added the books to the shelf. Nightwing settled on a perch the house elf brought up, and was sleeping.

"Who are you?" he finally asked.

"Alexi Knight." She said firmly, even though she knew he meant more than that. She just wasn't quite sure what kind of answer he had been expecting.

"No, who _are _you? Where did you come from, why are you here? And why has the Dark Lord chosen _you_?" the last part seemed to be bothering him the most.

"Well, I'm an orphan from London. Dumbledore came to my room yesterday and told me I was a witch. I'd gotten all my things from Diagon Alley, and I wandered into Knockturn Alley. Then the Dark Lord contacted me, and next thing I knew I was here. And I don't know _why_ he chose me, just that he did,"

He seemed satisfied enough, but didn't leave the room. "Can I help you with something?" she asked with a sigh

"Er… no," he said, somewhat awkwardly, and left the room.

She spent the day reading her books. Nightwing flew in an out of the window in her room, sometimes bringing back prey that he would gobble up when he returned. But then, he brought something unexpected: a letter.

She set down the book she was reading and crossed to his perch, where he was waiting proudly, a letter clutched in his beak. She opened it, and found tight, untidy handwriting sprawling across the page. It was unfamiliar, but what did she expect?

Alexi-

My name is Bellatrix Lastrange. The Dark Lord has informed me that you are to be taught magic. I will be at the Malfoy's Manor tomorrow at noon. Burn this letter after you have read it.

-Bellatrix

She was getting a teacher? To come and personally teach her? IT was strange, knowing the special treatment she was getting. On the other the hand, Draco would be jealous, and she might even catch up to him.


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

She burned the letter, raising her wand to the thing and muttering 'Incendio.' She was delighted when the parchment caught fire, and then remembered that it was on fire.

She swore and dropped it, stomping on it until the fire went out. She called for the house elf to sweep up the ashes, and slid her wand away. She kept reading as the house elf cleaned.

When she finished her book, which was about basic magic, she went outside. She stood on the back lawn, practicing magic. Then, she heard a familiar drawling voice shout something she'd read in her book.

"Expelliarmus!" Draco yelled, brandishing his wand at her, then "Locomotor mortis!"

There was no time to react. Her wand flew out of her hand and towards him, and then he was cursing her! She raised her arm in front of her face in a protective motion, and the spell bounced off a shimmering shield that appeared.

She stared at it for a moment before grinning as it faded away. She'd done magic without a wand, or saying anything! Draco was shocked as well, and watched as her wand flew back to her hand. She laughed, sounding slightly deranged, and grabbed it out of the air.

Draco left. Not knowing what else to do, as the sun was sinking, she followed him. Mr Malfoy had arrived sometime while she was out back, and when she walked in he was furiously explaining what had happened.

She was grinning as she walked past the Malfoys, and she noticed a glimmer of amusement in the older man's eyes. Oh yes, their newly adopted daughter was going to be very powerful. He could tell.

Dinner that night was near silent, Draco throwing her nasty looks every time he took a bite, and Alexi was famished, eating quickly. Had the magic taken something out of her? Maybe.

She slept soundly that night, and dreamed of lessons the next day with a featureless woman, yelling commands at her and Alexi happily following orders.

After breakfast and then lunch, she had finished a book on the wizarding world, and was waiting impatiently for Bellatrix to show up. She wanted to start her lessons.

The witch was exactly a minute late, and appeared just outside the front door. Everything about her looked wild: her black hair, her dark eyes, her eccentric clothes. She seemed to be Mrs Malfoy's sister. Was their whole family in the service of the Dark Lord?

The woman led Alexi into a smaller sitting room on the second floor, and sat watching her for a moment. Then she raised her wand, knobbed and curved, to point at Alexi as they sat, watching each other.

"Crucio," she said calmly, a touch of insanity at the edges of her voice.

Alexi blinked and raised her hands in front of her face again to protect herself, wincing as the powerful curse hit her shield. She hadn't felt a thing when Draco had tried to curse her, but even blocking this one caused her pain.

After the remains of the curse had faded away, she pointed at Bellatrix's wand. _Expelliarmus. _She thought, forcing power into the word. The wand flew to her hand, and she set it down beside her.

The witch watched her, and then grinned cruelly. The rest of that day was spent outside, Bellatrix throwing random spells at her, and Alexi blocking them before attacking the witch herself. Bellatrix seemed delighted at Alexi's abilities, rather than outraged that she, a fully trained witch, could not get a single spell past this muggle-raised orphan.

This lasted until the sun disappeared below the horizon, when Bellatrix shot out two spells at once. The first cracked Alexi's shield and then second penetrated it entirely.

All feeling left her body except the pain the curse was causing her. She had first sunken to her knees, then fallen to the ground as she convulsed in pain. Low whimpers escaped her lips, and she squeezed her eyes shut.

Throughout the day the Dark Lord's presence had shown up in her mind, watching her progress. He was back again, and watched on without emotion as she writhed on the ground.

After several long minutes, his voice told Bellatrix "Enough," and then was gone. She lowered her wand and walked with long strides to where Alexi lay, staring up at the stars.

"Get up," she commanded.

Alexi did not obey her command. Alexi did not react at all. Her body was devoid of energy, and it was not within her power to even turn her head. Bellatrix was disgusted with this, and flicked her wand.

Alexi felt herself rising into the air, and was floating in front of Bellatrix as she marched back into the house. She became more aware of her surroundings a quarter hour later, and found herself a few feet above the ground in the sitting room. Bellatrix and her sister, Mrs Malfoy, were arguing.

Not wanting to just lay there any longer, Alexi gathered her energy and then rolled off of the invisible stretcher. She landed in a crouched position and slowly stood, swaying slightly as she did so. Draco was standing to the side, and the last thing she saw was him lurching forward as she fell again, blacking out.

And so ended her first day of lessons with Bellatrix Lestrange. She had been worked hard all day, slowly draining her of energy before she was tortured. Had that been Bellatrix's plan, to see where her limits lie?

She woke the next morning to find that it was not, in fact, morning. The sun had long since risen into the sky, and the clock on her side table informed her that it was almost one o'clock.


End file.
